Thirty Glimpses
by insertsnarkhere
Summary: Thirty glimpses of Marie D'Ancanto by someone who still harbors feelings for her


Summary: 30 glimpses of Marie D'Ancanto by someone who still harbors feelings for her

Disclaimer: Property of Marvel and Fox and Stan Lee and blah blah blah...

* * *

_One_

After the 'incident' (I still can't bring myself to call it anything else), I see her in the library. She's sitting alone, writing in her notebook. Every once in a while she'll skim her fingers through the open books on the table.

Her gloveless fingers. Her delicate small fingers.

She painted her nails. Pink. It suits her.

She looks up briefly. She notices me watching her and gives me a smile. I feel deep down that she only smiles at me now more out of pity and maybe a little guilt than anything else. But I take it anyways. I smile back.

Then he walks in. And she doesn't notice me anymore. She gives him a smile that I've never seen before. A genuine smile. One that reaches her brown eyes, one that doesn't have any trace of pity or guilt, one that she reserves only for him.

He smiles back at her and I watch as he leans in to give her a kiss. He murmurs something to her and her smile only widens. I watch as she gathers her books and notebooks and stuffs them in a bag. I watch as she takes his hand and they leave the library together.

* * *

_Two_

I'm passing by the window when I notice them. She's sitting between his legs, her back against his chest, reading a magazine article out loud to him.

I know what she's doing. It's something that we used to do together. She would steal those girly magazines that Jubilee religiously subscribes to and make me take those stupid Are-You-Compatible quizzes with her.

She asks him a question and he laughs. She smacks his arm for not taking the quiz seriously. He manages to stop chuckling long enough to give her an answer.

I see her mentally calculating their score. She reads him the results and they both laugh.

* * *

_Three_

It's late and I couldn't sleep. When I roll out of bed, I notice that his is empty. I didn't want to dwell on that.

I leave the room to get something to drink. On my way to the kitchen, I glance into the rec room and that's where I find them.

They're sleeping on one of the couches. She's carelessly sprawled out on top of him, limbs entwined, arms tightly around him. He's snoring lightly, muttering something, unconsciously rubbing his hands against her back.

* * *

_Four_

She's sitting next to him in the back of the car. I would catch a glimpse of them in the reflection off the window. I could see him give her quick kisses on her cheek and neck. I could see her giggle whenever he did.

I try to focus on the scenery but my eyes would always stray back to them and to her. She looks so damn happy.

* * *

_Five_

Kitty drags us into yet another store. Peter tries to reason with her that he can carry only so many bags at one time. I watch, amused and silently glad that they took my mind off of them for a brief moment. But then I notice that they aren't around anymore.

I leave Peter with a petulant Kitty to go find them. Maybe they got lost. Maybe they're just getting something to eat. Maybe the police dragged him off. That last one made me smile. But when I finally find them, I'm not smiling anymore.

They're inside a lingerie store. All I see is her holding up a pink lace bra up to her body and I couldn't look anymore.

I make my way back to Kitty and Peter; feeling like somebody gave me a kick in the gut.

* * *

_Six_

They're sitting on the couch, watching television. He has his arm around her, rubbing a lock of her hair between his fingers. She leans into him and I watch as she inhales his scent.

* * *

_Seven_

I can't get over how good she looks in her uniform. Sometimes I wonder if the Professor isn't the biggest pervert in the world for picking such tight uniforms -- and in leather, no less.

She fights like a rabid dog. It's only when she glances over at him that her gaze softens and you could see the small grin forming on her lips.

* * *

_Eight_

He's in the kitchen, making a sandwich, when she comes in and latches herself onto him. She's pressing herself into his back, arms around his waist. He laughs, pausing momentarily.

She gives him a kiss on the cheek and standing on her tiptoes, she peers over his shoulder. She tells him no mayo. And he replies that he knows.

* * *

_Nine_

She's lying on the lawn, fingers idly playing in the grass. She's watching him toss a football around with Logan.

It's funny. Logan told me once that the only sport he plays is watching hockey.

* * *

_Ten_

I come downstairs for some juice and cereal when I see them. She has her feet propped on his knees, reading the arts section of the Sunday paper. He's reading the sports section. There's breadcrumbs and jam on the plates and the coffee cups are half full.

* * *

_Eleven_

He's gone for a few days, on a mission with Logan and Storm.

I can tell she misses him but I can't help the happy dance I do in my head. It's the first time in a long time that she talks to me. Granted, it's only to ask me questions about him but still...

* * *

_Twelve_

I was trying to find Jubilee to let her know that Scott was looking for her. I couldn't help that Jubilee shares a room with her. I didn't mean to walk in on them. I swear.

All I remember is that she's wearing that pink lace bra before he unceremoniously tossed me out of the room.

* * *

_Thirteen_

We were working on our short stories in class when I hear Storm quietly say to him that he won and hands him an envelope. He opens it and grins madly.

When Storm dismisses us, I watch as she hurriedly walks over to his desk and asks him about the envelope. He tells her. She shrieks with happiness and throws her arms around his neck.

* * *

_Fourteen_

I see her painting her nails in the rec room with Jubilee and Kitty. She's still painting them pink but in a different shade. A little deeper, maybe.

All I know is that I wish she had a reason to paint her nails when she was with me.

* * *

_Fifteen_

They think they're alone in the attic but they weren't. I was suppose to get a box for Jean.

She's sitting on an old desk with him standing between her thighs.

I watch like a sick bastard as they kiss, mouths slanting over each other. I watch as she clutches his hair when he deepens the kiss. I watch as his hands press into her back.

It's not until he starts pulling down a strap from her dress that I snap out of my daze and silently walk backwards.

I tell Jean that I couldn't find the box.

* * *

_Sixteen_

They sit together at dinner. Half-eaten spaghetti and some vegetable stir-fry forgotten on the table as she's more interested in tracing the lines on the palm of his hand.

* * *

_Seventeen_

I notice that she wears skirts and dresses more often. And she doesn't wear stockings either. And for some reason, she likes to go around barefoot too.

He teases her about how much skin she likes to show off now. She only smiles and pulls him closer for a kiss.

* * *

_Eighteen_

It's the first time I see them arguing. They're shouting now but I can't tell what they're saying. I would open the window but that would give me away and let them know that I was eavesdropping.

I think she tells him that he can go fuck himself and she walks back into the mansion. I watch as he angrily runs his fingers through his hair and walks off in the opposite direction.

* * *

_Nineteen_

I see her in the rec room again. She's sitting in the same couch I saw them sleeping on. But this time, she's alone and she's crying.

I walk into the room quietly, heart pounding. I ask her if she's okay. She looks embarrassed at being caught crying and hurriedly wipes her tears and tells me that she's fine. I don't say anything and I think she's hoping that I'll leave soon but I don't.

Then she starts crying again and I get to hold her. She clutches at me, sobbing hard now. She tells me that she didn't want to fight with him. How much it hurt to fight with him. But I'm only half listening because I can't get over how soft she feels, how warm her skin feels against mine.

I hold her until I feel her loosening her arms around me and I know it's time to let her go...again.

She apologizes for ruining my shirt and tries to gather herself. She says quietly that she wanted to talk to him before he left again, on another mission with Logan and Storm, but there had been no time. I tell her that she can always talk to him when he comes back. And she tells me that she didn't want him to go away angry. She's afraid that it'll make him reckless and do something to get himself hurt. For moment, I let myself enjoy that suggestion but snap back to reality when she stands up abruptly. I hear it then.

The jet.

And she's gone from the room.

* * *

_Twenty_

It's her birthday. But no one in their right mind would remind her.

She's still in the med lab. Not as a patient but she might as well have been with all the time she spends there.

I'm dropping off a package for Hank when I see her. She's sitting by his bed, holding his hand between hers. She looks like she's willing him to wake up through the pressure of her hands.

For a moment, I kinda hoped that he wouldn't.

* * *

_Twenty-one_

It's fifteen days when he finally does wake up.

I watch as she jumps out of her seat and runs out in the middle of a lecture, Scott telling her to slow down.

* * *

_Twenty-two_

He's recuperating in her room. I hate him.

The rare occasions I see her out of that room, it's mostly to get him something. A book. Something to drink. More bandages. His meds. I even see her making soup. I hate him.

Jubilee tells me he acts like he hates being cooped up but she thinks he secretly loves the attention more. I hate him. And God must hate me.

* * *

_Twenty-three_

I see them outside. He still has a little trouble walking but she's by his side, supporting him.

I see him taking something out of his pocket when they decide to sit down on one of the benches. He produces a small box with a ribbon wrapped around it. She gasps and he says something about missing her birthday.

She takes the box hesitantly and opens it with nervous fingers. I can't tell what it is from where I'm watching but it must have been something good by the way she throws herself into his arms. I see him grimace but doesn't seem to mind the pain. She's happy so I guess that's all that matters.

* * *

_Twenty-four_

I enter the dining room and see that they're sitting together again.

Jubilee rushes over to me and asks me if I heard. She doesn't wait for my answer as she goes on about how she couldn't believe he gave her a ring for her birthday.

Wait a minute. A ring? Did that mean...? No. It couldn't. He's not that kind of guy. He doesn't make commitments like that. He couldn't even commit to a brand of shampoo! No. They've only been dating for a few months. They couldn't be... It's too soon...

As I was having this mental argument with myself, I don't notice the group of people gathered around them, congratulating them.

* * *

_Twenty-five_

I see her in her room, folding her clothes and packing them neatly. Jubilee is helping her get her things sorted.

I enter and drop off the extra boxes. I hear her say thanks as I leave. I don't want to go back to my now half-empty room so I hang around the hallway so I can listen to her voice.

I hear Jubilee ask her if she can keep this book. I hear her say that the book was actually Kitty's. They both laugh and I hear Jubilee say what Kitty doesn't know about won't kill her. It's silent for a while and then Jubilee quietly says that she'll miss her. I hear her say that she'll miss her too. Jubilee asks if she can come visit them and I hear her say that she's always welcomed.

I wonder if I'll be welcomed too.

* * *

_Twenty-six_

They come back for the graduation ceremony.

I only catch a glimpse of her and it's as they're leaving. They say something about an appointment they have to keep and drive off.

* * *

_Twenty-seven_

No one warns me.

I see her with Jubilee and Kitty. For a split second, I think she's coming back. But then she turns slightly and I see what I thought would have been mine -- once upon a time. She's rounder and, if it was possible, softer.

I hear her tell her friends that she's just three months along and can't believe how fast she's has grown. I hear her say that ever since they found out, he's been talking to her stomach at night, telling it about all toys he's already bought and the things they'll do together. I hear them laugh and talk about names.

At this point, I can't listen anymore. If I listen to them discuss names, it'll only make it real.

* * *

_Twenty-eight_

Jubilee is showing everyone pictures.

I think to myself that those stories about women having an inner glow must be true because she looks beautiful in those pictures.

I half-listen as Jubilee goes on about how perfect the ceremony was, how hilarious it was to see Logan in a tie, and how Marie's mom could bake one hell of a cake. Jubilee also says something about how hot and humid it was in Mississippi and how she's glad someone invented hot oil treatment for frizzy hair.

* * *

_Twenty-nine_

Kitty is holding a massive amount of balloons as we all walk down the halls of the hospital. I'm still not sure what I'm doing here. I think I must secretly be a masochist. Why else would I be putting myself through this?

We finally arrive at her room. He's in one of the chairs, sleeping at an odd angle and I'm silently pleased to note that he'll probably have a crick in his neck when he wakes up.

She's sleeping too and for a moment, we don't know if we should wake them or not. A nurse comes in then, wheeling a bassinet into the room. She smiles at us and says that we can take a look if we wanted to.

We all lean over and we all note the blue plastic bracelet around the little tiny wrist.

* * *

_Thirty_

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The other side of the room is still empty.

My fingers reach in between the mattress and box spring and I pull out the picture. I stole it from him when he was distracted with all the packing and moving. It used to be in a silver frame, sitting on his desk. I left him the frame and took the picture.

It's a black and white snapshot. She's smiling at the camera, the wind blowing in her hair, rustling the frills on her shirt.

I trace her face and pretend. Pretend that she paints her nails and wears pink lace for me, that she lies on the grass and watches me play football, that she likes the way I smell, that she puts her feet on my knees, that she traces the lines on my palm, that she makes me soup when I'm sick. Pretend that she's still here.

With me.

* * *

A/N: So did it suck major ass? Should I just shut up now? Let me know how I did. Thanks!

Oh, and if you haven't guessed already, this is Ryro told from Bobby's POV.


End file.
